I had no symptoms other than elevated enzymes. I was told I had fatty liver disease and I assumed it was a benign condition since there were no further tests at the time. I have an occasional glass of wine, but I had gained about 60 pounds over about 8 years. When my liver enzymes remained elevated over several years, I was sent for a liver biopsy and given the diagnosis of cirrhosis (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease). I'm a nurse, but I had never heard of it. Who knew my obesity could lead to killing my liver?

Comment from: Tired wife, 35-44 Male (Caregiver)Published: March 19

My husband has fatty liver from hemochromatosis. The doctors kept asking us how much he drank and how often and we kept telling them he doesn't drink that much. I think the doctors didn't really believe us until they found his hemochromatosis. He has a lot of bruises everywhere. He itches like crazy to the point of causing scratches. He walks and talks like a drunk a lot of the time. He cannot sleep without his sleeping pills. His blood pressure has gone really high a couple of times. He is very tired most of the time and is unable to drive due to it causing him headaches. He has stomach pain, bowels don't work properly anymore; he has pale colored stools, diarrhea and constipation. Also he has gotten two blood clots in his shoulder. He was 37 when all the symptoms started and is 43 now. We are unable to find out if he only has fatty liver or if it has progressed to cirrhosis. He does not have swelling in his feet just his abdomen. He looks yellowish at times and the whites of his eyes are sort of yellow sometimes.

Comment from: mona, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: February 17

I was told last week, that I have cirrhosis of the liver. My symptoms were only elevated liver enzymes. I drink beer about two per month and my doctor has told me that the beer is not the cause of the cirrhosis.

My husband died a few months ago of end stage hepatic cirrhosis. He was 49 years old. He was a beer drinker considered an alcoholic. He had varicose veins and had swelling of both legs and ankles for two years. When he rested the swelling went down. He had two blocked arteries in the right leg so he had vein bypass surgery. He developed edema and went to a lymphedema specialist to massage and get the circulation going. The wounds did not heal for several months. He took a lot of aspirin for the pain. The last two months he was in a lot of pain, extreme swelling in the foot, ankle and leg from the knee down, hemorrhoids, chest pains that went away after taking aspirin, bloated feeling all the time and weight gain in the abdomen, blood sometimes in the stool, and the last couple of days he was extremely tired and exhausted, falling asleep where ever he was sitting. Because of the swelling in his legs, he could not walk but from the living room to the patio and sit in the backyard and get some sun. He continued to drink. The doctor said he was close to losing his leg from the knee down but never mentioned he might need to be checked for cirrhosis of the liver or have that disease. He collapsed at home and was gone from us immediately. We did not know he had the disease but since his surgery in December 2010 he went downhill fast and passed in August 2011.

My mom has always been a pretty heavy drinker. Seven years ago she had a GI bleed and should have died. Her hemoglobin was below 3 and she needed over 25 transfusions. We were told she would not last a year. She went through treatment and stayed sober for about a year and then relapsed thinking that wine would be alright to have. She fell and broke her leg in the early part of the summer. She had surgery and was in a nursing home for three months. Since being home she has regressed quite a bit. We have been seeing many doctors and she managed to stay sober since the fall. She is taking several different medications to prolong her life but I fear the end is near.

Patient Comments & Reviews

The eMedicineHealth doctors ask about Cirrhosis:

Cirrhosis of the Liver - Treatment

Viewer Comments are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on eMedicineHealth. The opinions expressed in the comments section are of the author and the author alone. eMedicineHealth does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.